Finishes and more...

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. We hosted a large celebration yesterday and have been doing a lot of relaxing today.

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My first finish is a basket liner. Our youngest grandson, age 2,  needed a basket/bin for his music stuff. We couldn't find a bin that looked childish so I made a liner to help this one look like his. 

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Have I mentioned that a friend gifted me her stash? Well, she did! I was able to sort through and only keep what I thought I'd use which was quite a bit! So I'll continue working on my  clean-out-this-stash project...  

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The  grandsons that live nearby came to make cookies right before Christmas. For the first time, we also made a gingerbread house. I 'glued' the house together the day before and they did the rest.

I thought I'd have to help but the 9-year-old did most of the frosting with the 7-year-old helping some. Everyone including the 2-year-old decorated and sampled the candy.

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I have a few knitting finishes. The first is a Cabled Winter Headband. I used Cascade Yarns Cash Vero that I found in my stash. Yes, I have a yarn stash too!

The button is cherry wood.

Next is a hat. When I bought the yarn at Knit Circus in Madison, Wisconsin, the girl said it was enough to make an adult hat with the pattern Barley by Tin Can Knits. I tried making a hat but I didn’t have enough yarn. So I found the recommended pattern and began knitting the adult hat but ran out of yarn. Then I made the child's hat and had just enough. I wonder if my skein was the actual length that it was labelled. In any event, our youngest grandson likes his new hat!

And last is a hat that does fit me. The pattern Chunky Gansey Cap by Bonnie Marie Burns is a fast, easy knit. I used Jagger Spun Mousam Falls yarn and love my Gansey Hat.

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One of my Christmas gifts was the Bernina ruler foot and ruler set. I was able to play for a while today.  One of these days, I'll have another finish to share.

Pepto Pink

Pepto Pink is done! This is another donation quilt from my  clean-out-this-stash project. The original quilt made from these prints was for our oldest granddaughter. Then there were a couple more quilts that used some of the fabrics. Of course I kept all of the scraps. By adding some pink and green, I have finally used all of these fabrics.

When I started this quilt and grabbed one piece of pink from my stash, I commented something about Pepto Bismo and the quilt was named. I know many girls that would love this quilt with the pink, the hearts and the flowers.

The back is light pink with white dots. I used Aurifil thread to piece and quilt this quilt. The FMQ motif is 3 large loops like flower petals with echoing.

The binding is from my stash - it had all of the right colors.  The batting is Dream Cotton which is my favorite. The quilt is 49.5" by 49.5"

The quilt has been laundered and I love the texture. I just added it to my donation pile which is small but growing...

Donations

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.

-Winston S. Churchill

At Thanksgiving time, grandson Griffin asked me why I make quilts to donate. I gave him an answer I thought a 6-year-old  could understand. However, to be honest, I'm really not sure how to explain why I donate. It is just what I do. It feels good. I want to give back. I enjoy giving. I want to help. I want to make a difference. It is my work at this point in my life. I am blessed to be in good health and blessed to have enough time and resources to share.  

“Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but from what we give.”  

-Ben Carson

A couple of weeks ago, the five local children who lost their home in a fire finally got their new quilts. We've been trying to get together for a couple of months. Sorry no pictures because I didn't have parental permission. The older three girls came and picked out quilts for themselves and their younger brother and sister. It was easy to tell when they saw quilts they loved. It was a fun time.

Yesterday we were in Madison, Wisconsin, at American Family Children's Hospital aka University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital. I think this now is an annual Christmas trip for us.

We delivered 15 quilts. As we entered the building carrying our pile of quilts, many people saw the quilts and gave us big smiles. The workers at the desk were so excited. As we were leaving, one of the valet guys came over to shake my hand and say thank you. It was fun. I felt like I was making a difference.

When I was hand quilting my very first quilt, our youngest son sat near me, covered with part of the quilt, and said he could feel the love and the hugs in that quilt. I pray that the recipients of my quilts can feel the love and hugs in their quilts.

Sweater and Ear Warmer done...

The ear warmer was easy - just a simple knit. I wanted a simple red band. The yarn is Zitron Gobi that was leftover from another project. 

The Horseshoe Cable Headband pattern by Sarah Gettel is free on Ravelry. I didn't have enough yarn to crochet around the edges but it will work fine.

Now Ray's sweater was another story. The knitting was easy - I began it last January and finished knitting in the spring about the time we were leaving on our Northeastern trip. I set it aside - all that was needed was sewing the pieces together, picking up stitches and knitting the crew neck. I decided over a week ago to get it done. 

I reread the directions which were minimal - “Sew sleeve saddles to front and back, adjusting length of back neck saddle strips to fit smoothly into neckline by adding or removing rows as needed.” The saddles on the sleeves were strange and I tried to work them into the back neck - isn't that what the instructions said? They were weird but I persevered. I picked up the neck stitches and finished the sweater.

When Ray tried it on, I hated the fit of the sleeves and the places where the saddles turned to the top of the shoulders were not even. So... I frogged the crew neck and the seams. I had an idea - only because I've been a seamstress for years. This idea did not come from any knitting experience.

I made those funny pieces of the sleeve saddles longer and created a yoke going across the back of the sweater. I used a kitchener stitch to fasten the two together. Then I sewed the seams again - all went together very well. I picked up stitches and knit the crew neck again and finally had a sweater that looked pretty good.

This is the back. The yoke piece is not even an inch wide. Now that right angle that you see on the left matches the one on the front of the sweater.

The pattern is Men's Cabled Pullover by Mona Schmidt. I think I made the sleeves a bit long - I will take care of that. I think if I block this again that all will be well. I can also remove a little of the fullness in the sleeves.

 I used Cascade 220 Superwash yarn which is 100% wool.

As happy as I/we are with the finished sweater, I'm hesitant to recommend this pattern. My experience was frustrating and I think the entire sweater would have been frogged without my seamstress knowledge. The instructions for finishing were rather incomplete. The good part is that I figured it out!

First Scrappy Stars Quilt, Mariner's Daughter Socks are done!

I bought this quilt as a kit a number of years ago. The flannels in the kit caught my eye - I loved the colors. So at a retreat this fall, I finally made the top. Now the quilt is finished! The pattern is Kwik Scrappy Star.

It is not very big - just 37" X 45" but very snuggly. The batting is Dream Cotton and the top and back are both flannel. 

I used Aurifil thread to piece and quilt this donation quilt. I attempted to free motion the Jester Hat motif. I'm almost dyslexic with that design - I'm not sure why. Sometimes it looked okay!

While working on my  clean-out-this-stash project, I decide to make another larger quilt with this pattern. The pattern is pieced like Buggy Barn patterns - not my favorite way of piecing but  I liked the outcome. The other quilt is in the pile of 15 waiting to be pinned and quilted. They quietly wait for me which I greatly appreciate!

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I also finished my Mariner's Daughter Socks. I used Ann Budd's Knitting Socks book and am happy with the results. 

The yarn is Lichen and Lace 80/20 sock yarn from New Brunswick. I purchased the yarn at The Mariner's Daughter in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on our trip last spring/summer.

I am blocking a sweater for Ray and a headband/earwarmer fro me. I'll take pictures when they are done. 

Sailboats are ready to sail...

A finish! The sailboat quilt is done. Another quilt from my clean-out-this-stash project. The sailboats were left from a baby quilt and I just couldn't throw them away. I think that is how my stash got way out of hand - I just can't throw fabric away! I added strips of bright colors and cut some strips to include a sailboat or two or three.

The back is blue with little white flecks. I added a column of bright colors to add interest. 

This donation quilt is 44.5" by 59". I used Dream Cotton batting and Aurifil thread for the piecing and the quilting. I machine quilted waves using a walking foot. The quilt has already been laundered so you can see a bit of those puckers that I love.

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We saw the doctor and we got meds - LOTS of meds. It's taken a while but we are both FINALLY feeling better. A few days ago, we both were able to go a whole day without a nap - long naps like 2 hours or more. We both still have a cough and aren't 100% but we are MUCH better and the doctor says we are no longer contagious. We are not usually sick so this has been unusual for us and it's been off and on for almost 2 months.

Today I walked on the treadmill - my first real exercise in weeks. It felt good but I think it will take a few days to get my endurance back. At least we are on the road back to normal, whatever that is!

Red Lasagna Finished and turtles???

Red Lasagna is finished! It is 57" by 60". I used Aurifil thread and Dream Cotton batting.  I quilted this with a wavy line using a walking foot.

It's another gorgeous day so I had to go outside to photograph this donation quilt. I obviously did not do a good job of spreading it out flat.

The back is a very dark navy with birds. By piecing the backing, it took about a yard less of backing fabric.

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That green quilt is on the design wall again and it has turtles! I think it adds a great kid friendly element and some needed color. I just need to decide on borders. 

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Today is go-see-the-doctor-day. Ray is there now and my turn is coming soon. I'm hoping a little medicine will make all this crud disappear...

A pair of socks and an idea

Another pair of hand knit socks. These feel so good - I can't wait to wear them! This yarn comes from Halifax, Nova Scotia, but I think it is available in the US.  I bought it last spring in Baddeck, NS. 

The yarn is Fleece Artist Cottage Socks in the color Forge Fire. 

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Things are moving slow around here. We are both sick with colds or maybe it is something else. It kind of comes and goes but doesn't go away. We have physicals next week and decided to wait to see the doctor until then. Hope that wasn't a mistake.

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During one of my good hours, I put this quilt on the wall and it just seemed too plain. Of course, I'm not a green person but it really needs something.

So I have an idea... stay tuned!

A Weekend Retreat

A group of us try to get together for a retreat a couple of times a year - at least we used to. And then we couldn't find a place and life got in the way. 

But this past week was a dream come true week. Did you hear the Chicago Cubs won the World Series? And four of us got together for a retreat! 

I've been a Cubs fan my entire life but not quite as die-hard as my husband, my brothers, and my in-laws so the week was unbelievable. Before this fall, the last Division win for the Cubs was in 1945 and the last World Series win 1908. 

And the 4 of us - Sandy, Barb, Krista, and me - got to go on a retreat together. We found an airbnb rental - The Farmhouse - that is rather close to all of us.  It's not a retreat center but we took tables and lights and it all worked well. 

We were out in the country and had gorgeous weather.

We had a great visit, accomplished lots, and ate well. Here are some of the finishes.

Barb's handwork

Krista's quilt

Sandy's quilt

Sandy's quilt

Barb's tiny blocks

This is Krista's quilt again - she use the same pattern from the newest Block magazine that ...

I used for this scrap donation quilt!

my donation quilt

my donation quilt

my donation quilt

We didn't have design walls so I took the last two pictures at home. 

Hopefully this will be somewhat of a quiet week - I need the rest! I've caught Ray's cold/cough. Think I'll just be lazy as much as possible.

Blue with Sunshine is finished!

Another quilt from my clean-out-this-stash project is finished. I added a few yellow strips to this blue jelly roll race quilt. My strips are not all width-of-fabric but I really don't think they need to be. It finished at 56" X 63".

The batting is Dream Cotton. I quilted it with my walking foot and a wavy stitch. 

The back is a light blue. I think you can see the quilting in this photo. The Signature thread is blue variegated.

Yesterday I finished with the blue fabric in my clean-out-this-stash  project. I have either used them or they are cut into 2 1/2" strips (lots!), cut into squares, or put into the string basket. There is a very small pile of usable small pieces. Just so you know, I still have LOTS of blues (and every other color) that I'm not cleaning out.

Since today is Halloween, I decided to work on the oranges. I finished with them this afternoon! 

I'll keep using the strips in quilts - I'm just trying to get the colors under control. I still have a ways to go but I'm making progress and enjoying the whole process.

At the moment, I have 2 quilts pinned and ready to be quilted. Thirteen tops are finished and need to be sandwiched and pinned. I think there are 6 quilts that are cut and need to be sewn. I'm not sure how many finished quilts are in my donation pile.

The new BLOCK magazine arrived today. I think I'll make one of the quilts with some of my 2 1/2" strips. Maybe I can get that kitted one day soon. 

I think Trick-or-Treat is about to begin so I'd better get ready for all of our little ghosts and goblins.

Prairie Star Fall Retreat

It was another great retreat at Prairie Star Lodge. This one was hosted by Cassie of Lucky 2B Quilting. There were old friends - Cassie, Polly, Mary, Marilyn, and there were new friends - Betsy, Robin and Shawn. The eight of us had a great time and even watched the Chicago Cubs playing in the World Series.

This time I'm just showing projects. Some of the pictures aren't great - I was more interested in sewing and visiting!

3-D windmill quilt

3 1/2" blocks!

Strip quilt with scattered squares

3 pigs with a scalloped edge

Gingerbread girl with darling hair

Flower quilt with hour glass corner stones

Blocks made with curved ruler

Variety of table toppers

More 3 1/2" blocks from the 365 Challenge

Table runners

More table runners

Chicken quilt

Flower basket block

12 blocks - a variation of a log cabin block

Auditioning border fabric on part of a puff quit

Batik blocks

More batik blocks

Beginning of a triangle quilt

Beginning of a striking quilt

Flamingo pillowcase

Dinosaur pillowcase

Football blocks

Yo-yos for a quilt ... it's going to take quite a few!

I went with eleven donation quilts cut - all part of my clean-out-this-stash project. I had done a little sewing on a few. I finished all eleven tops! I even had a little time to sew some half square triangles from my peck of triangles.

Boy quilt

Sailboat quilt

Quilt blocks were made by three of our grandsons

Charm quilt

Pink Pepto quilt (It is the color of Pepto Bismo!)

Child Bricks

Red and White quilt

My Stars quilt

Scrappy Trips Around the World

Scrappy Stars quilt

Jungle Quilt

As for my clean-out-this-stash project, I need to spend some time with my piles of fabric. I'm sure those piles will tell me what to make next. I just need to listen ...